Picker for grapes, &amp;c.



G. A. FREITAG. PICKER FOR GRAPES, Kw. APPLIUATION FILED 111:0. 15, 190s.

Patented Sept. 27,1910.

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NETE STAFF ATENE FFfQF.

CHARLES A. FREITAG, OF ST. JOSEPH, MICHIGAN.

PICKER ron Gnarles, ew.

Specieation of Letters Patent. Pggtniged Sapp, 217, 191,0,

Application filed December 15, 1909.

Serial No. 533,21 1.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES A. FREITAG, citizen of the United States, residing at St. Joseph, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Pickers for Grapes, Sac., of which the following is a specification.

My invention has to do with pickers for grapes, berries and other fruits; and it consists in the peculiar and advantageous picker hereinafter described and definitely claimed.

In the drawings, accompanying and forming part of this specification Figure l is a perspective view showing the manner in which my novel picker is applied to the thumb of an operator and used to pick or clip bunches of grapes. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the picker, removed. Figs. 3 and t are sections taken in the planes indicated by the lines 3 3 and tMt, respecn tively, of Fig. 2.

Similar letters designate corresponding parts in all of the views of the drawings, refel-ring to which:

A is the body of the device which is designed to rest against the inner side of an operators thumb, at a point in front of the first oint, and is preferably, though not necessarily, of leather. rJlhe said body is fastened on the thumb by means embracing the latter; the means in the present instance being straps c and Z) extending in opposite directions from the base of the body A, and a suitable buckle c carried by the strap b. Attached by stitches or other means to and serving in connection with the forward portion of the body A to form a thumb socket is a wall A2.

0n the outer side of the wall A2 is disposed a pocket B which is also preferably of leather. The said pocket B is stitched adjacent its side edges and rear end to the body A and is open at its forward end. It will also be noted that the pocket is provided near its rear end with an eye l that registers with an eye c in the wall A2, and is preferably employed in the fastening of the blade in the pocket, as hereinafter described.

C is the blad-e of the picker. The said blade is preferably in the form of a thin piece of steel and is provided with a forward cutting edge f, and also with an eye the latter being located near the rear end of the blade and being designed to register with the before mentioned eyes (l and c. lVhen the blade C is positioned in the pocket i3 as shown, a string D.passed through 'the coincident eyes (Z, c and g is employed to delachably fasten the blade in the pocket. From this it follows that when the cutting edge of the blade becomes dull, the blade may be expeditiously and easily removed and as readily replaced by a fresh blade.

is will be readily observed by reference to Fig. l, a person provided with one of my novel pickers is enabled to pick or cut the stem of a bunch of grapes while holding the bunch in the hand, and this without liability of the bunch being mashed or otherwise injured; and I would also have it understood that a person can use one of the devices on each hand to advantage. incidental to the use of the picker, the blade C is backed and held against lateral deflection by the pocket B in which it snugly fits, and hence the use of the device is not attended by discomfort of the user.

lhile l prefer to employ the string D in the manner described to detachably fasten the blade C in the pocket B, l do not desire to be understood as confining myself to said means or to any other means for detachably fastening` the same, inasmuch as frictional Contact between the blade and the pocket may, when desired, be depended on to hold the blade against casual displacement during the use of the picker.

ln addition to the practical advantages luareinbefore ascribed to my novel picker, it will be observed that the picker is simple and inexpensive in construction, is well adapted to withstand hard usage and eX- posure, and calculated to last for an indefinite period; the scheme of the invention contemplating the removal of the blade when dulled or otherwise impaired and replacing the same witha new blade, as well as the removal of the blade for sharpening when the same is necessary.

Having described my invention, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters-Pat ent, is:

il picker for grapes, etc., comprising a body adapted to rest at the inner side of the thumb and provided with straps and a` buckle for securing it on the thumb` an apertured wall carried by the body and serving with the same to form a thumb-socket, a pocket carried by said wall and having its forward end open and also having an aperi ture registered with that in the Wall, a blade reinovabl)7 arranged in and projecting' from the pocket and having an aperture registered With the apertures in the Wall and pocket, and a string' secured in said apertures and fastening' the blade in the pocket.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two Subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES A. FREITAG.

Witnesses RICHARD OXFORD, GEORGE N. MILLER. 

